Less than year after move to West York, city's HRC behind on rent

Monday, March 19, 2018--The Human Relations Commission operates out of a room rented from West York Borough. The room is in the West York Municipal building. Bill Kalina photo(Photo: , The York Dispatch)Buy Photo

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Borough solicitor Mieke Dricoll said there was "miscommunication" with the City of York’s Human Relations Commission in terms of where the "bill was being sent."

York City’s Human Relations Commission is behind on its rent after relocating to West York Borough's administration building less than a year ago.

Borough solicitor Mieke Driscoll confirmed the commission is late, however, she said she’s unsure how far behind it is on its payments.

Commission Chairwoman Karen Rollins-Fitch could not be reached for comment.

Borough Manager Linda Diaz said she reached out to the commission and "squared away" what she termed "administrative" confusion.

"The payment hasn't been made yet, but it should be any day," Diaz said, adding that a Right-to-Know request would have to be filed in order to know how much the commission owes and when the administrative error occurred.

The York Dispatch filed a Right-to-Know request Tuesday, March 20.

Philip Given, York City Mayor Michael Helfrich's chief of staff, said on Thursday, March 22, that "back rent has been paid."

The city didn't receive last year's invoices for the months of August to December until Monday, March 5, he said, adding the 2018 year-to-date invoices have been sent and paid.

"It took us three weeks on our end to get them paid," Given said.

According to the one-year lease agreement that took effect Aug. 1, 2017, the Human Relations Commission is to pay a $100 fee, due at the first of each month, for the space on the second floor of the borough's administrative building at 1381 W. Poplar St.

The commission is authorized, under the city's anti-discrimination ordinance, to investigate city residents' claims of employment, educational and housing discrimination.

It also assists noncity residents with filing discrimination complaints with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

The York City Human Relations Commission made the move to West York after being asked to leave the space it borrowed for seven years from York County in order to make space for expanding other county offices.